GI Joe: Humanity
by Dantegate
Summary: The Joes are sent on a mission to stop a human trafficking ring, only to discover that something even more diabolical lies underneath. Snake/OC.
1. GI Joe: Humanity

A/U - Hello readers! This is my first Joe fic ever and am still a little new to the fanbase, so if I make any mistakes with characters or elements of the Joe franchise, let me know, but remember that I'm new! I'm just playing around with this, so this and the next chapter are a test chapter to see what reception it gets, so if you would like me to continue, let me know in a review. Thanks, Dante. Enjoy.

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><p>G.I. Joe: Humanity<p>

_Pay no mind to the battles you've won_

_It'll take a lot more than rage and muscle_

_Open your heart and hands my son_

_Or you'll never make it over the river_

_It'll take a lot more that words and guns_

_!A whole lot more than riches and muscle_

_The hands of the many must join as one_

_And together we'll cross the river_

- Puscifer, "The Humbling River"

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><p>Remember to let me know what you think in the next chapter and leave a review!<p>

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	2. Chapter One

A/U - So like I said, here is the first chapter. It's a test chapter, so it is important for you to let me know if you want to know the rest of the story. REVIEW!

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><p>Chapter One<p>

Lost Girl

The smell of sweat filled her nose, a putrid combination of blood and waste followed. Pain radiated from the back of her head, a feeling of being suffocated surrounding her. Her eyes felt heavy, as if she had been sleeping for a long time. Groaning, she managed to open them only to close them as a bright light burned her eyes.

A hand fell to her shoulder and she felt herself being lifted up to sit up fully. A voice, a soft but scared female voice, whispered into her ear, telling her to go slow and to be calm. Her hair was brushed away as she slowly opened her eyes, looking down.

Her eyes met the metal floor of a ship's cargo bay.

Looking to her side, she saw that the female voice belonged to a young girl, no older than thirteen. Her black hair was in disarray and her almond shaped eyes had dark blue circles underneath. She was clearly Asian by both looks and accent.

"You must be quiet or the soldiers will come back," she said, almost begging as she clutched on to the woman's jacket.

The woman nodded, giving the girl a reassured smile, "Okay. I'm River, what's your name sweetie? Onamae wa nan des ka?"*

The girl gave a shaky smile, "My English is…adequate."

The woman, River, nodded before cringing as she held the back of her head, "Ow, they really did a number on me, didn't they?"

"Momo,"* the girl said softly, her head down.

River looked up from her hand that had blood on it, furrowing her brow as she looked at the girl, "I'm sorry?"

The girl looked back up, "My name, it is Momo."

River looked at the girl and noticed she had a number of bruises on her arms and on her face. Reaching out, she touched Momo's arm gently, but still she flinched.

"I'm not going to hurt you Momo, I'm here to help you," River said, keeping her tone soft.

Momo looked up sharply, "What? But the soldiers, they have guns and you are hurt with no weapon."

River chuckled and patted Momo's matted hair, "Let me worry about that. Momo, how long have I been here?"

Momo shrugged, "Two days."

Nodding, River continued to ask the girl questions, "Do you know where we're going?"

"I heard one of the soldiers talking about Bombay, but I can't be sure." Momo bit her lip and wrapped her arms around herself, "I am scared. I do not want…I have heard stories of what happens to girls who are taken."

River ran her fingers through Momo's tangled hair and made a shushing noise as she wrapped her arms around the frightened girl, "It's okay Momo, nothing is going to happen to you or anyone else on this ship. I promise."

Momo looked at the woman who held her close and wandered how she wasn't afraid. She was completely calm and even smiling. She wiped her face of her tears and gave a single nod before untangling herself from River's embrace.

The echoing of metal hitting metal caused everyone in the hold to jump and look up to see a man and a handful of soldiers standing behind him, holding guns close to their chests. The man wore a suit, his hair slicked back and a smirk on his face.

River watched as Momo cowered backwards until she was hiding behind a large wooden crate, hiding her face in her lap as she brought her legs up to her chest.

Standing, River couldn't help but reach up and wipe away the blood that was caking against her skin. The man in the suit looked down at her as she stood and raised an eyebrow, "Well, I see our party crasher is awake at last."

He was American, possibly from the Northeast. He signaled for the soldiers to make a path for him down the stairs, causing many of the unfortunate hijackees to whimper and try and hide in the shadows of the dark space around them.

River could hear Momo crying and felt a twinge in her chest. She watched as the man followed the soldiers down stairs at a leisurely pace, that smirk still present on his face. The man was Caucasian and had either dark brown or black hair.

"Dr. Wade wanted me to tell you how sorry he was that he couldn't see you off himself, Ms. Ferrety. I promise that you'll find the transition less than enjoyable." The man stopped in front of her, adjusting his suit.

River glared at the man and crossed her arms across her chest, "What makes you think I'll allow this to happen? If you know anything about me, then you know I don't follow orders unless I want to. I'm not some helpless little girl."

He chuckled, "No, but you must be a lost girl cause you don't know who you're talking to."

Gasps filled the cargo hold as the man pulled out and cocked a pistol and pressed it against River's forehead, "I could put a bullet right between those pretty green eyes and no one would know. No one would care because you don't exist anymore, you're property now. My property."

River didn't move, didn't break eye contact with the man. In fact, she smiled.

"Are you done with your little speech, Sable?" she asked sweetly.

The man looked at her with shock before composing himself and pressing the gun harder against her head, "How do you my name little girl?"

She gave him a mock look of surprise, "You mean Wade didn't tell you about me? I'm hurt."

Sable curled his lip as she continued to smile, "What are you smiling about?"

She made eye contact and dropped her smile, "I was just thinking of how much I'm going to enjoy killing you."

Sable snorted and began to laugh. He turned his head towards the soldiers and said, "Did you hear that boys, Ms. Ferrety thinks she's big and bad."

Turning back, he smirked again and said, "But she forgets; she's not her brother. Oh, did I hit a nerve? What? Can't hear the truth about how he betrayed his country and kil-argh!"

The soldiers lifted their weapons as Sable let out a cry of agony and fell to his knees in front of River. They aimed their guns at her, the small red lasers meeting at an impasse over her heart.

She held Sable's gun in her hand as she glared down at him, watching as he held his bleeding nose, "You bitch, you broke my nose!"

She grit her teeth, "Don't talk. About. My brother."

Though in pain, he still laughed, "Truth hurts, doesn't it bitch?"

With unseeable speed, River brought her knee against Sable's face as she flipped backwards towards the shadows. The sound of gunfire filled the air as the white flash from the bullets bounced around the cargo bay.

Screams accompanied the gunfire as River crawled towards Momo, who covered her ears from the loud noise. Momo hid her face in River's shoulder as she raised the pistol and blindly shot towards Sable and the soldiers.

Momo cried in River's shoulder, wetting it with her tears. River leaned her head towards Momo and said, "It's okay Momo, you'll be fine. Stay calm."

A corner of the wooden crate exploded as a bullet passed through, sending shards of wood towards River's face. She hissed as a long cut began to bleed along her cheek.

She could make out Sable's voice in the chaos, "Fall back, fall back! The Joes are here! Get the chopper ready!"

Silence soon filled the cargo bay, followed by the thundering of running footsteps up the stairs and the slamming of the doors. River remained hidden with Momo for a moment before carefully peering around the crate.

Momo wouldn't let her go so she was forced to crawl with her clinging to her. There was no sign of Sable or his men.

Standing, River helped Momo to her feet and held the pistol at her side, keeping her finger on the trigger just in case.

The sounds of sniffling and cries echoed in the darkness as River made her way with Momo towards the center of the cargo bay.

River offered Momo a smile of reassurance before turning towards the darkness, "It's okay, don't be scared. They can't hurt you anymore, come on out. It's okay, that's it."

A small child, a boy timidly walked out from the darkness. He was dirty and skinny. River got to her knees and let go of Momo in order to rub the side of the boy's tear-stained face, "It's okay now."

He nodded slowly before looking over at Momo.

The muffled sound of a helicopter came from overhead followed by what sound like more gunfire.

The boy lurched forwards and hid is face in River's legs, Momo whimpered and clutched her arm fiercely, "What's happening?"

River shook her head, "I don't know, just be quiet."

They stayed in the cargo bay in silence for what seemed like hours but were really only a few minutes. A few others had emerged from the shadows and looked at the doors with anticipation.

Soon enough the doors were opened and the silhouette of a man filled the doorway. He had a weapon aimed as he entered. Following him were two other figures, one a woman.

The first figure dropped his weapon and looked down at them, "It's alright, we're here to get you out of here. You're safe now."

Cries of relief filled the cargo bay but River didn't let her guard down just yet. The three figures made their way down the stairs quickly, revealing themselves from the darkness around them.

The first figure who had spoken was young, Caucasian with almost blond hair that was military cut. The second figure, a woman, had scarlet red hair and was looking at the crowd with what could be called pity.

The third figure had no physical characteristics thanks to the skin-tight suit that covered his body. A visor of some kind covered his eyes, shielding his identity. In his hand was a deadly looking blade.

The man who spoke carefully approached River, noticing the pistol in her hand, "Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to hand over the weapon."

Noticing her glare, the man took his hands off of his own weapon, raising his hands in a defenseless motion, "We're friends, we're here to help you. Now please, hand over the gun."

Momo bit her lip before whispering in River's ear, "I think he's telling the truth."

River looked at her before turning back to the three "rescuers" and stretched out her hand towards the man in front of her, offering the pistol.

The man nodded, smiling reassuringly, "Thank you."

River nodded.

A gasp came from below her and she looked down to see the small boy looking at his hand, covered in blood. Momo cried out and reached for River's side, pressing her hand against it. River let out a gasp of pain and covered Momo's hand with her own.

Looking down, she saw a trail of blood making a path down her side.

She had been shot.

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><p>*Momo means peach tree in Japanese<p>

* Onamae wa nan des ka? - "What's your name?"

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><p>Remember to REVIEW please, thank you :)<p>

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	3. Chapter Two

A/N: Thank you so much readers! I appreciate your feedback and thank you for making me favorite author or story. I guarantee no daily updates, but will be taking this chapter by chapter. But today, I hope you enjoy chapter two. Remember that I do update after I recieve comments and reviews, so please REVIEW! Thanks, enjoy - Dante.

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><p>Chapter Two<p>

"Whoa!" Duke fell to his knees as the woman fell, catching her before she hit the ground.

Scarlet joined him on the ground, pulling out what appeared to be an oddly shaped gun. The girl who had clung to the woman stepped forward at the sight of the device.

She began to speak in Japanese rapidly, holding her hands in a pleading manner.

Snake Eyes laid a hand on the girl's shoulder, trying to reassure her as he pointed at Scarlet, who pressed the device against the woman's wound. A type of foam emerged; covering her side as it quickly began to harden.

"We have to hurry, the coagulant won't hold for more than an hour," Scarlet said as she rose to her feet, looking at Duke.

The girl rushed past Snake Eyes and looked at the woman with worry, "Is River going to be alright?"

Duke gave her a nod, "Yeah sweetheart, she's gonna be just fine."

The girl nodded, though a look of uncertainty crossed her face. Seeing this, Scarlet laid her hand on the girl's shoulder, "Can you help me round everyone up? We're going to take you somewhere safe."

The girl was unsure but agreed, "Alright."

Duke shifted the unconscious woman in his arms as he looked over at Snake Eyes who began to walk towards him, sheathing his sword as he did, "Snake Eyes, we got this. Take her to Doc, we'll meet you there."

Snake Eyes took the woman from Duke with ease and carefully ran up the stairs and up to the deck of the ship.

A chopper had already begun to prepare for flight as the rotor began to turn until it was a blur. The door of the chopper opened to reveal Breaker, who helped Snake Eyes lift the woman into the helicopter carefully.

She let out a groan as she was laid down. Snake Eyes knelled next to her and quickly placed an oxygen mask over her mouth as Breaker inserted a needle into her arm, a whimper escaping the woman as she unconsciously tried to move away from the intrusion.

"Shh, it's alright," Breaker said as he brushed away a strand of cinnamon colored hair that had clung to her sweating cheek.

Turning to Joe piloting the chopper, Snake made a rotating motion with his finger, signaling to leave. The Joe nodded and turned to the controls.

G.I. JOE

_A child, a girl, laughed as she was thrown into the air by a pair of strong and worn hands. The smell of the ocean filled her nose as the sound of the waves crashing filled her ears. The strong hands caught her and swung her around before she was enveloped in warmth._

_A male laugh tickled her ear._

_The girl pushed against the protective warmth and looked into a pair of green eyes that mirrored her own. The man was her father. They shared the same eyes and hair but the girl was the image of her mother, who watched them as she sat on a blanket a few yards away._

_The girl was placed on the sandy beach and ran as her father began to chase her towards her mother. She giggled as she tripped into the soft ground and scrambled to her small feet as her father grew closer. _

_She was lifted into the air from behind and a kiss was placed on her cheek as her father wrapped his arms around her, carrying her towards her mother._

"_No Daddy, I walk!" the small girl protested as she tried in vain to escape her father's clutches._

_He simply laughed and placed her on the ground as she walked over to her mother, who opened up her arms, in want of a hug._

_The girl quickly reached her mother and fell into her mother's arms, her perfume of roses causing her to sneeze as it overpowered her senses._

_Her father plopped on to the blanket, kissing his wife sweetly._

"She's going to recover. It's amazing; she's already beginning to heal. I've never seen someone come back so quickly, General Hawk," a voice entered her head as pain radiated from her side.

She took in her surroundings.

Her eyes were closed but she could feel that she was lying on a bed, a hospital bed by the smell and beeping sound coming from her left. She could feel an IV in her arm. She was wearing a gown too. She hated hospital gowns.

The sound of whoever was in the room with her leaving signaled River that this was her chance to open her eyes.

When she did, she winced from the bright light hanging directly overhead.

She blinked rapidly to adjust her eyesight before looking around the room. It wasn't a hospital that much she could tell, but it definitely was some kind of infirmary.

She pushed herself up only to fall back as pain pulsed from her side.

That's right.

She had been shot.

Looking down, River pulled up the gown to inspect the injury. Whoever these people were had helped her and the people on the boat. They had even saved her life.

River sighed and dropped her arm over her eyes as the events of the last hours rolled through her mind.

She was so stupid. She thought she could handle this on her own. River felt the emotional toll begin to catch up with her, the familiar burning itch in the corner of her eyes inching closer.

She moved her arm from her eyes and once again tried to sit up. She was successful though it pained her to move. She brushed her hair away from her face as it fell and wiped her watery eyes before any tears of frustration could escape.

As she ran her fingers through her tangled hair she caught the sight of something black out of the corner of her eye.

Turning fully, she found nothing there.

On the table next to the bed was a pair of BDU's folded neatly. As quickly as possible, River threw her legs over the side of the bed and shivered as her bare toes touched the cold concrete floor.

She pushed herself up and took a step only to find herself falling forward as she was overcome with a sudden wave of dizziness.

She closed her eyes in anticipation of meeting the hard ground, but nothing but a hard chest stopped her tumble. Her cheek met a familiar black suit as her knees hit the ground. A pair of arms wrapped around her to steady her.

Looking up, River saw the masked face of one of the people who had helped her and the people on the cargo ship. She looked at him strangely. Why was he still wearing that thing if he was back on friendly territory?

Red markings on his right arm caught her attention. It was kanji though she didn't know what it said. River was easily lifted by the strange man and placed back in the bed. The man turned and grabbed the BDU's off the table and tossed them into her lap.

He moved his fingers; sign language. He was using sign language. Well that didn't help her. River didn't know how to use sign language. "What?"

"He says to change clothes. General Hawk would like to speak with you when you are well enough," a woman's voice came from behind the strange man.

The redhead from the ship walked into the room, wearing her own pair of BDU's. She offered River a somewhat pleasant smile, "I'm Scarlet, and this is Snake Eyes," she turned and motioned towards the strange man.

River nodded, fiddling with the clothing in her lap, "Um, thanks. Where am I exactly?"

Scarlet looked at Snake Eyes before looking back at her, "That's not important right now ma'am. We need to ask you a few questions before we allow you to leave."

River cocked an eyebrow and chuckled, "Allow me? Who's your superior, cause I know it's not you."

The woman looked slightly surprised at River's sudden attitude change, "General Hawk, he would like to talk to you about what happened."

River nodded, "Well then …Scarlet, maybe you and Commando over there should step out so I can change."

Scarlet looked flustered but turned to Snake Eyes, who said something to her with his hands. She nodded and looked back at River once more, "Again, we are sorry for what happened to you."

She left the room, leaving Snake Eyes alone with River.

She raised an eyebrow as she gave him a funny look, "You're not gonna watch me undress are you? Cause that's just rude, you know."

He remained unmoved.

River scoffed, "Come on man, can you at least turn your back?"

They shared a staring match that seemed to last more a few minutes before Snake Eyes turned around, crossing his arms across his chest.

River kept her eye on him as she pulled the blue camouflage BDU pants on. She quickly removed the gown and grabbed the black tank top, pulling it over her head. She had no bra on. She wondered why.

Grabbing the jacket, she slowly pulled it on due to the strain on her side.

She did the best she could with the socks and boots but found it was too painful, "Hey, um, Snake Eyes?"

The man turned his head but not his body.

"Could you help me?" she asked softly, unsure if he would be willing after her little attitude outburst.

He turned around fully and looked down at her feet where she had her foot sticking only halfway in. He nodded.

Bending to his knee, he helped River push her feet into her shoes, tying them for her. When he finished, he helped her stand and held out his hand for her to walk.

He led her through the halls, a base she assumed by the concrete walls and people walking through the halls in uniforms.

A tap on the shoulder caused River to see Snake Eyes pointing towards an open door to the right. She walked in and found herself standing in what appeared to be something out a war movie. It appeared to be a war room of some kind.

"Ah, our guest is finally up and about I see," a man said as he dropped a pen on top of what looked like a map and made his way towards her. He looked down at her and offered his hand, "General Hawk, ma'am. I would like to say how sorry we are for what happened to you and the others. I assure you that we are working to find these criminals."

River nodded, though hesitant, "Thank you."

He showed her to a seat and turned to the other occupants of the room that sat at the round table, "This is Duke, he led the rescue mission."

The familiar face of the man who saved her sat across from her. He nodded and gave a smile, "Ma'am."

Hawk turned a man with natural tan skin and dark hair. He wore glasses, "His is Breaker."

Scarlet sat next to him, "And this is Scarlet, whom I've been told you've already met."

River nodded, "Sorry about my mouth, it runs on autopilot sometimes."

Scarlet simply waved her hand, "It's alright. You're in a strange place after going through something traumatic. It's understandable that you're a little temperamental."

Hawk turned back to River, "Now, we need to ask you a few questions."

River sat back in the chair and began playing with a lock of her long hair. She saw Snake Eyes lean against the wall. He didn't seem to be paying attention, but she could tell by the slight tilt of his head that he was listening.

"Well, I suppose I should introduce myself since everyone is doing it. My name is River Ferrety, I'm American. I think in needs to be said that I wasn't forced on that ship by Sable and his trafficers; I wasn't kidnapped. I snuck on to the ship. I went willingly."

Needless to say, everyone was shocked.

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><p>THANKS FOR READING, REMEMBER TO REVIEW<p>

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	4. Chapter Three

A/N: I am so sorry that I'm updating a little late, but I've been a little busy with other stories that I'm working on. Thanks to all of you who have reviewed the story so far, I am so glad that you like what I have so far! Please remember to review, as I tend to only update after I recieve at least two. I will try and stay focused on updating all of my stories at sooner and enjoy the next chapter. Remember to REVIEW! - Dante

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><p>Chapter Three<p>

The room was silent.

General Hawk's mouth was slightly open as he stood across from where the strange woman sat. Clearing his throat, Hawk straitened and crossed his arms, "I'm sorry, did you say you voluntarily went aboard a ship trafficking women and children?"

All eyes were on River. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair as their stares penetrated her personal bubble. She looked at Hawk and said, "Yes."

The general looked flabbergasted as he began making his way around the table towards the petite woman. Duke leaned forward on the table, "Are you crazy? Why in the hell would you do that?"

River kept her eyes on Hawk, ignoring Duke's small outburst.

Hawk reached River and leaned against the desk, standing over River somewhat. He was trying to intimidate her. His shadow crossed over her face.

"What exactly were you trying to accomplish by sneaking on to that ship?" he asked.

Sighing, River looked up at the general, "Look, I tried to contact the navy, the coast guard for god's sake, but nobody would listen to me! I've been tracking these men for nearly three years now and I've been doing it on my own. Now, when I finally had proof that Sable was trafficking women and children, no one believed me!"

She crossed her arms carefully, trying not to agitate her wound, "I had no choice."

Scarlet blinked, a look of disbelief on her face, "Wait, are you saying that you were trying to safe those people? Single handedly? You must have known that was impossible?"

River looked at the redhead across the table, "I had to try. I couldn't just do nothing when I knew where they were headed."

"Your last name is Ferrety?" Hawk suddenly asked.

River arched an eyebrow, "Yeah, so?"

"As in the philanthropist? That River Ferrety?" he asked as he turned to Breaker, "Breaker, find anything you can on her."

River rose to her feet as quickly as her pained side would allow, "Excuse me? What the hell, man!"

Hawk turned around to face the angry woman, "Miss Ferrety, please calm down."

"Got it!" Breaker said as the screen behind them came to life, revealing a picture of River, a mug shot to be more specific.

River groaned, "You had to show that picture? I look horrid!"

She did indeed. She held up the identification plate to her chest, looking blankly ahead. Her hair was disheveled and she had a black eye as blood trickled down the side of her face.

"Not my best picture." River said, chuckling as she looked at the others in the room.

Breaker began to speak in his French accent, "River Ferrety, arrested for disturbing the peace."

River whirled around and pointed at the French Moroccan, "Hey, I was in my legal rights! It was a protest!"

She sat back down in her chair, flicking her hair away from her face. By now, Snake Eyes had joined the group around the table in order to view the screen at a better angle. He stood behind Duke, granting River a better view of him.

He was curious, and unfortunately for River, she had a very strong sense of curiosity.

The screen changed, this time a newspaper article popped up. The picture was of River in an evening dress. She was unaware of the picture being taken as she appeared to be in a conversation with a man in a suit, holding champagne glasses.

General Hawk crossed his arms, "You started a charity a few years ago that specialized in helping battered women, and then another that deals with abused children. That's quite an accomplishment for a woman only twenty-four years old. Weren't you nineteen when you started them?"

River nodded, "Yes, but I'm sure you can imagine where I got the money to start them, General Hawk. Don't pretend that you don't know about my family."

Sighing, the general let his arms fall to his sides as he approached River, "Look, we aren't here to pass judgment on you. As far as that…incident is concerned, it's classified. No one in this room but me knows about that."

River seemed unsure but nodded, "Okay."

The others seemed curious however, all watching the general and strange woman with inquisitive looks. Hawk turned to them, "Alright, for now Miss Ferrety will be a guest until we deal with these traffickers."

At this River opened her mouth to protest, only to have General Hawk give her a stone look and pointed a finger at her, "No excuses Miss Ferrety. Until this situation is dealt with it is in your best interest that you stay here."

River rolled her eyes, "Whatever. What am I supposed to do around here anyway!"

G.I. JOE

This sucked.

River looked around the room that she had been given. Sure it was big and had a bed that looked like it could fit six people, but it wasn't her bed and it wasn't her home.

She looked down at the BDU's she wore and grimaced. She hated military wear.

"If there's anything you need Ms. Ferrety, please let me know," Cover Girl said from the doorway.

River turned around and gave the rather beautiful woman a tight smile, "Can you give me a ride back to Boston?"

Cover Girl gave her a knowing look but returned her smile, "As soon as the traffickers are captured, ma'am."

River's lip curled up, "Okay, just call me River. No ma'am or Ms. Ferrety, okay?"

Cover Girl nodded, "Whatever makes you comfortable…River."

With that, River was left alone in the spacious room.

Meanwhile, in the rec room, Ripcord strolled in, whistling a toonless song. He grinned when he saw his girlfriend, Scarlet, running on the treadmill, her flat stomach glistening with sweat. He stood there just staring when something hit the back of his head.

"What the hell?" he mumbled as he looked around for the cause of his stumble.

There, standing behind him was Snake Eyes and Duke, who was smirking. Ripcord looked at his best friend, "What I do to you man?"

Duke pointed at Snake Eye, "Hey, Snake's the one who hit you, I just thought the look on your face was funny."

Ripcord looked at Snake Eyes with discomfort on his face. He knew that he and Scarlet had had something not too long ago, and he didn't want to be at the sharp end of his sword. He had been trying to stay out of Snake Eyes' way just in case Snake Eyes had a grudge against him for dating his former girlfriend.

He coughed and mumbled under his breath, "I'm just ah, yeah, go over here…"

He joined Duke near the water cooler where his friend was laughing, "Yeah yeah laugh it up Duke, one of these days freaky Zen master is gonna lose his cool and the next thing you know, I'm sliced up into itty bitty pieces!"

Duke headed towards the dumbbells, shaking his head, "Dude, Snake Eyes is cool with you seeing Scarlet. Stop freaking out already."

Ripcord leaned against the wall as Duke prepared the weights, "So, I hear that your mission didn't go according to plan."

Duke sat down on the bench, "Yeah, Sable of his men got away."

Ripcord grinned, "And I also hear that we have a guest staying with us."

Duke looked at his best friend, "Yeah, she's crazy man!

Laughing, Ripcord pushed off the wall and laid his hands over the bars of the weights as he spotted Duke, "Please tell me she did not seriously think she could take on a shipload of mercenaries all by herself!"

Duke grunted, "She tried. She's brave, that's for sure."

Scarlet overheard her boyfriend and Duke speaking from the treadmill. Turning her head towards them, she said, "Well, I for one think she was incredibly stupid for doing it. The odds were against her from the beginning."

Snake Eyes listened to the conversation from where he stood. He held his blades in his hands, preparing to do pushups with them. He tilted his head to the side before approaching Scarlet. He made hand motions as he held his sword, speaking silently to Scarlet.

She raised her eyebrows, "Really?"

Curious, Ripcord looked over, "What's he saying?"

Scarlet looked over at her boyfriend, "He says that she wasn't stupid. He thinks she was incredibly brave and had no fear."

She turned back to Snake Eyes and grinned. Turning back to Ripcord and Duke, she said, "He also says that she could probably take you, Rip."

Duke laughed as Ripcord nearly pouted. "Whatever, man. Let her try, I'll be mopping the floor with her."

Duke dropped the weights on their stand, "I don't know Rip, she looked like she had a few moves from the surveillance footage we took from the ship."

Ripcord pretended not to hear him.

G.I. JOE

Sable was shown into the lab by the soldiers. He glared at them as they left. The room smelled of disinfectant and of something he couldn't identify.

"You disappoint me Sable. Again." A voice echoed in the room.

Sable pocketed his hands in the paints of his suit, "I can't help it that the Joes decided to drop by, Doctor. You pay me to bring you the cargo, not to be one of your little toy soldiers."

A man came into view. He was in his fifties, with grey hair. He wore glasses over his blue eyes. He wore a lab coat and was staring through a microscope, "Sable, you may not be one of my soldiers but you did agree to do anything to insure the arrival of my specimens."

Sable rolled his eyes, "So I did."

The man, the doctor, looked up from the microscope and turned to Sable, "You had her on the ship. You know that she is the only one to have ever been able to withstand the testing. I need her. Get her back or you can take her place, Sable."

Sable swallowed the lump forming in his throat, "Yes sir. I'll get right on that."

The doctor smiled, "Good."

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><p>THANKS FOR READING, REMEMBER TO REVIEW<p>

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	5. Playlist

A/N: Good Morning Readers! I am so happy at the feedback that I got already! I know this isn't a chapter, but I usually compile a playlist at some point in my stories and I just happened to have this one done. I hope you like the songs. There is a link on my profile page for you to listen to the songs for free! Check it out and let me know what you think! - Dante

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><p>Puscifer – The Humbling River<p>

Lana Del Rey – Born to Die

Shinedown – Bully

Bat For Lashes – A Forest (For Invisible Children)

Hurt – Wars

Black Veil Brides – Set The World On Fire

Breaking Benjamin (fea. Valora) – Blow Me Away

Celldweller – Eon

Thousand Foot Krutch – The Art of Breaking

The Leo Project – Broken Wings

Digital Summer – Sweet Misery

Dark New Day – Brother

Curve – Chinese Burn

Five Finger Death Punch – Far From Home

Theory of A Deadman – We Were Men

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><p>THANKS FOR READING! BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE LINK ON MY PROFILE PAGE !<p>

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	6. Chapter Four

A/N: Hello readers! Thank you so much for all of your reviews! I know it's been like a week and more since I've updated, but I've been busy. But here's chapter four. Remember that I usually only update after at least two reviews, so keep them coming! REVIEW - Dante.

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><p>Chapter Four<p>

It had been two days since she had been a so called guest of the Joes.

Currently, River sat in the commissary, people-watching. She had to admit that the Joes were pretty impressive, though this only confused her. Because if the Joes were the best, then how did Sable get away so easily?

Sighing, River poked at the small green peas on her plate with her fork, leaning on her hand in boredom. At the moment, Duke and his team were on a simple recon mission and were expected to be back any minute.

The sound of a plate sliding along the table caused River to look up. She instantly smiled when Momo sat down across from her. She looked much better than she did on the ship.

She no longer looked starved or sickly and her hair was beginning to look far healthier than it did the last time they met.

Momo looked at her plate shyly, "H-Hello River-san. May I sit with you?"

River reached across the table and patted Momo's hand that lay on the table, "Of course Momo."

The young girl smiled brightly, sitting somewhat taller, "Thank you River-san."

River shook her head, "No River-san, Momo. Just River, okay?"

Momo nodded, though somewhat timidly.

As they eat in silence, River was confused as to why Momo was still on the base. Shouldn't she already be on her way back to her home?

"Hey Momo, why are you still here?"

Momo looked up from her plate and shrugged her shoulders, "I think because no one wants me."

River frowned, "What?"

Momo's eyes seemed to be avoiding her, looking elsewhere. She bit her lip, "My father was a very successful man. He was able to send me to the best schools and could afford the best house, but he died."

Momo's eyes began to water as she looked across the table at River, "My father left everything to me, but I am only fourteen. My uncle became my guardian."

She looked angered, her eyes becoming glares as she mentioned her uncle.

River leaned forward on the table, "What happened? How did you end up on that ship?"

Momo wiped an escaping tear before she continued to speak, "He gambled it all away! He became indebted to very bad men, and when he couldn't pay them; he gave me to them."

River felt her heart tighten.

Momo shook her head, "They sold me to Sable and I was put on that ship."

River reached across the table once again and took hold of Momo's hand, "Sweetheart, no one is ever going to hurt you again, I promise."

Momo looked as though she didn't believe River, "How can you promise that?"

River smiled, "I have my ways. Would you like to come back with me? I think I can help you."

Momo brightened up instantly, "Hai!"

River nodded, "It's settled then."

G.I. JOE

Everything was quiet in the empty training room, with the exception of the exhales coming from River as she pushed herself on to the tips of her fingers as she balanced into a hand stand. Sweat beaded down her face, dropping down on to the mat beneath her.

Hours had passed since she had spoken to Momo and River found herself in the training room after she couldn't sleep.

It was two in the morning according to the clock hanging over the doorway.

She often found herself exercising or training when her mind was far too occupied, like now.

She had spent the day with Momo, speaking to General Hawk about legalizing the young Japanese girl to live in America as a citizen.

River let her body fall forward, rolling her back until she laid on her back, staring up at the ceiling. She remained there, letting her heart slow down.

General Hawk would let her know tomorrow about Momo's citizenship.

Duke and his team had returned, though River hadn't spoken to them. They had debriefed with Hawk and had gone off on their own somewhere.

Sighing, River sat up and rubbed the back of her neck. The mat squeaked under the rubber of her shoes as she stood. Stretching, River raised her hands over her head and felt the tank she wore rise, revealing her belly button.

The door to the training room suddenly opened and to her surprise, Snake Eyes walked in. He didn't see her, focusing on his katanas. He laid them down on the floor.

She remained frozen, her hands still above her head.

Snake Eyes turned and stopped when River came into view. His back straitened and the two stood in silence, the only sound was the ticking of the clock, echoing throughout the room.

River lowered her arms slowly until they fell to her side. She offered a smile and waved, "Hi."

She cursed under her breath. She didn't look her best. Her hair was sticking out of the pony tail that held her hair back and she smelled from the sweat.

Snake Eyes nodded firmly before picking up his katanas and turned towards the door, about to leave. River stepped forward, "No, no, you don't have to leave, I was just finishing."

He stopped, head turning to indicate he was listening to her. She grabbed the hoodie she had worn earlier and began to put it on, "Really, I'm done."

He turned around and raised a hand to signal her but stopped short. She cocked her head in curiosity as she watched him reach into the pocket of the pants he wore over his body suit. He pulled out a small notepad and pen.

She grinned.

He walked towards her slowly as he wrote. When he reached her, he handed her the pad. Taking it, she looked down and read, _What are you doing here so late?_

She shrugged and said, "I couldn't sleep, too much on my mind I guess."

He took the pad and wrote again before handing it back, _Would you like to talk about it?_

She raised an eyebrow. Who knew a ninja had good grammar?

She handed him back the pad.

Crossing her arms she made her way towards the weight bench and sat. Snake Eyes followed, though he remained standing in front of her.

She was slightly intimidated by his much later physique. It was hard enough standing next to him; she only came up to the middle of his chest. Though the view was not bad to look at, she still felt a bit uneasy.

She pulled her leg up, hugging it to her chest as the other remained on the floor, "I've been thinking about Sable and his men. They hurt so many people and now I've lost them. The girl, Momo, I worry that she may never be okay. Her own-"

River stopped herself from telling Snake Eyes about Momo's uncle. She had no right telling Momo's story without her permission.

Biting her lip, she shook her head, "I mean she's only fourteen. She didn't deserve this."

Snake Eyes had been writing as she spoke. He handed her the notepad and she took it, _We are going to help you find Sable. Don't worry about Momo, she will find strength. You are helping her, she will be fine. _

River smiled before handing him his pad, "Thanks Snake Eyes."

He nodded.

She stood and walked past him, "I'll leave you alone so you can train."

She didn't look back as she walked towards the door and into the hallway, leaving the silent ninja alone.

G.I. JOE

The next morning, River found herself being called to the conference room. General Hawk and Duke's team were already there when she arrived, "Am I late?"

Hawk shook his head, "Not at all. Please sit down Ms. Ferrety."

She sat down beside Scarlet.

General Hawk cleared his throat before speaking, "Yesterday, the Alpha team was sent on a reconnaissance mission to try and locate Sable. They were unable to find Sable himself, but they found out that he was using Miami as a base."

River nodded, "I already knew that. It's a perfect place for smugglers. He's been operating out of Miami for over five years."

Duke looked at her with mild annoyance, "That would have been helpful if you had told us."

River returned his annoyance, "Well, if you had included me in the briefing like I had asked, I would have."

They glared at each other until Hawk interfered, "Alright then, Duke why don't you explain to Ms. Ferrety what else you found out."

Breaker pulled up an image of a man walking down the street, cell phone to his ear. He was being flanked by two body guards. Duke leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, "This is Theodore Walsh. He's a very successful arms dealer. He's throwing some kind of fundraiser in two days."

He turned to River, "Guess who's invited."

River grinned, "Sable."

"Yup," Duke said as General Hawk rose from where he sat, "We're going to infiltrate the event, undercover. We're hoping to find something that could point us in the direction of where Sable is operating from within the city."

River nodded, "But you will be taking Sable in, of course."

The others in the room seemed uncomfortable after her statement. She looked around, curious, "Right?"

Hawk sighed, "We need him to be unaware of our presence there. We will apprehend him when the time is right."

River felt her anger rising, "Excuse me? When the time is right? What the hell is wrong with you? This man is responsible for countless women and children being used as slaves and forced labor!"

Hawk raised his hand, "Ms. Ferrety, please try and understand. We want to bring him in just as much as you do, but we can't until we can find his base of operation. If we bring him in before that, there's a chance that he won't tell us where these people are, and if that happens, we can't help them."

River rubbed her eyes, frustration kicking in. She forced herself to calm down, taking a deep breath, "Alight. I'll go along with your plan, but on one condition."

Hawk raised a brow, "Ms. Ferrety, you don't have to go along with the plan because you have no say in the plan. This is a military operation and you are not a member of this team. But humor me, what's the condition?"

River leaned forward on the table, "You may want to rethink that General Hawk. I may not be a member of this team, but I have information that you may want. And if you don't go along with this condition of mine, then I'm not telling you a thing."

The others in the room watched the exchange with both curiosity and discomfort, not used to someone talking to Hawk that way.

Hawk raised his hand in irritation, "Well, what is it?"

River smiled, "I go with your team."

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><p>THANKS FOR READING, REMEMBER TO REVIEW<p>

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	7. Chapter Five

A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews everyone! And for story alerts and favorites! I know the chapter isn't very long but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Remember that I usually only update after two reviews so please do so. REVIEW! I will also keep your suggestions in mind :) - Dante

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><p>Chapter Five<p>

To say General Hawk was furious would be an understatement. In fact, after the meeting he had stormed off and hadn't spoken to River or anyone other than Duke since. But River had been adamant about going along on the mission, otherwise she wouldn't share her information on Sable.

Little did he know that she would have either way; she wasn't going to let who knows how many innocent people suffer just because she didn't get her way.

But she wasn't about to tell General Hawk that.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Scarlet asked as she stopped outside River's door.

River rolled her eyes annoyingly. The redhead had been asking her that same question since they left the meeting.

"For the hundredth time, yes. Now please, go away." Scarlet looked unsure but turned on her heels and left.

River shut the door behind her as she entered her room.

As she walked further in she noticed that a very nice dress was already laid out for her. She lifted up the sparkling silver gown from the bed and couldn't help but admire it. It was ankle length with a long slit on the right. It was strapless with a sweetheart neckline.

On the floor beside the bed were matching stiletto heels that glittered just as much as the dress did. A pair of earrings and a shining bracelet rested on the bed.

Humming under her breath, River laid the dress back on the bed and made for the shower.

G.I. JOE

Nearly two hours past and the Alpha team, minus Snake Eyes, stood outside the chopper that would bring them to Miami. They were waiting on River.

"Where the hell is she?" Duke said in frustration as he leaned against the chopper. Rip stood next to him, "She's a chick, she's probably doing her nails or something."

Scarlet turned to Rip and smacked his arm, "Stop being sexist."

"I'm not! Girls do that!" her boyfriend said, trying to defend himself.

She merely rolled her eyes and walked past him, jumping into the helicopter.

Duke grinned at his best friend, "Trouble in paradise?"

Rip pushed Duke backwards slightly, much to Duke's amusement as he joined Scarlet on the chopper.

Breaker, who had remained silent, suddenly looked around and furrowed his brow, "Where's Snake Eyes?"

Duke and Rip realized that Breaker had a very good question.

Snake Eyes wasn't there yet either. But since the silent ninja was always, well silent, they didn't notice his absence.

Where was Snake Eyes?

G.I. JOE

River cursed as she flipped her hair out of her face as she raced down the hall.

Why in the hell were there so many hallways in this place? And why weren't there any signs saying where everything was?

The heavy bag she carried thumped against her thigh as she ran, slowing her down. She turned the corner and was met with the wall.

However, the wall fell back as she hit it. With the breath knocked out of her, River gasped as she landed on whatever she ran into.

It was warm and smooth.

Groaning, River opened her eyes and felt immense embarrassment.

She had ran into and knocked over Snake Eyes.

He looked up at her through his visor, which only made River feel uncomfortable because she couldn't tell if he was glaring at her or not.

Jumping to her feet, she reached out her hands and attempted to help him up, "I am so sorry Snake Eyes! I was trying to hurry to the hanger and –"

Snake Eyes waved a hand in dismissal before pulling out his small notepad, quickly jotting something down before handing it to her.

_You were taking too long. Got worried._

River handed back his pad to him, "Yeah sorry about that…I fell asleep."

Snake froze and cocked his head to the side slightly as if saying, "really?" before shaking his head, motioning her to follow.

They walked in silence, taking their time to get to the hanger.

River looked at the tall man out of the corner of her eye, her curiosity getting the better of her, "Can I ask you something?"

Snake Eyes looked down at her before nodded, returning his gaze forward.

"Do you ever take that thing off?" she asked, pointing to his suit.

He looked down at himself as if wondering if there was problem with him wearing it.

He shrugged.

River rolled her eyes, "And do you ever talk? I mean, I know you're not deaf; I've talked to you enough to know that."

He jotted something down, _Maybe I can read lips._

River shrugged, "Maybe, but I've talked to you when I wasn't looking at you."

_Maybe I can read minds then._

River found that funnier than she should have and laughed loudly, "I doubt that Snake Eyes."

She could have sworn she heard a chuckle escape from under that skin-tight mask clutching against his face. Grinning, she nudged him, "Did I just hear a laugh from the silent warrior Snake Eyes?"

_Don't tell._

She laughed softly before nodded, "Secret's safe with me."

"Hey!"

Looking up, River saw that they had reached the hanger and a very upset Duke. He stood with his arms outstretched, "What the hell took you so long!"

She sighed, "Sorry!"

G.I. JOE

Theodore Walsh puffed out a ring of smoke as he sat in his penthouse apartment in Miami. Soft violin music echoed from the other room.

"Mr. Walsh, Dr. Wade sends his regards," a soft female voice spoke from behind his chair.

Jumping in fear, Walsh turned to see a young girl, no older than twelve; standing near an open window that he knew had been closed a moment ago.

She had a far off look on her face and her voice was monotone and void of emotion, "He regrets that he will not be able to attend the gala but wishes to ensure that you will receive your payment as agreed."

Walsh watched as the girl turned towards the window and climbed out, leaving Walsh in a state of shock. Running towards the window, he looked down the thirteen stories below but saw no sign of the girl.

The smell of smoke filled his nose.

"Oh god!"

He forgot about his cigar in his hand and nearly burned himself as it had continued to burn in his state of stupor a moment ago.

Walsh closed the window as he brushed the ash from his cigar from his silk robe before making his way back to his seat, trying to forget that a young girl had just broken into his heavily secured penthouse apartment without so much as triggering an alarm.

So much for paying for body guards.

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><p>THANKS FOR READING, PLEASE REVIEW<p>

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	8. Chapter Six

A/N: Hi Readers! Sorry it's been about a week since I've updated. I've been sick and have been working on other stories. But here's an update so enjoy. I posted a link for River's dress if you're curious. Head over to my profile page if you want to see it. Remember to review! Let me know how you're liking the story so far. Thanks - Dante.

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><p>Chapter Six<p>

They had been in Miami for two days. In a few hours they would be sneaking into the gala to spy on Walsh and to follow Sable if he showed up.

River was currently sitting in the back of a van with Breaker as Snake Eyes, Duke and Rip were doing last minute recon. Scarlet was sitting on the other side of Breaker, her eyes glued to the small screens that were embedded in the wall of the specialized van.

As she sat there, River's mind was elsewhere.

She was thinking about Momo. She was different. There was something about her that River couldn't help but think was familiar. She just didn't know what yet.

There was something in her eyes that made River feel as though they had been through something similar. But what?

The door slid open, the bright sunlight from outside blinding River for a moment, her eyes squinting.

"Ow." She mumbled as she rubbed her eyes.

The three men stood outside the van, Duke leaning against the side of the van, "Everything's set and ready to go."

"Wonderful! Can we go now?" River asked, wanting to get out of the stuffy van as soon as possible.

Breaker turned around in his chair, "Everything looks good, surveillance is up and running."

The three men jumped into the van, Rip closing the door behind him.

River crawled around the now crowded back space of the van and scooted next to Snake Eyes, who had offered her the seat next to him, "Thanks."

He motioned with his hand to his mouth, _You're welcome._

She smiled at him before looking out the window as the van began to drive back to base camp.

The ride was silent for the most part, except for Duke who was complaining about River going into the gala. She merely rolled her eyes and continued to look outside.

It had been a while since she had been in Miami.

She had gone months ago, trying to find more information on Sable and his operation. She finally had enough data to seriously put him away, but the evidence was unavailable to her at the moment.

Now she was back and hopefully, with the Joes' help, she could finally get closer to Sable's employer and put Sable away for good.

They arrived at the hotel they were staying at, a small hole in the wall place. They didn't want to be noticed after all.

Sighing, River rolled her neck and exited the van, along with the others.

They entered the hotel room and began going over what they would be doing individually at the gala.

She fell on to the bed and looked at Duke, he stood with his arms crossed, "Okay, let's go over one last time. River and I will be going in. As far as Walsh is concerned, he has no idea who River is. The story is that she's looking into donating to his charity."

Ripcord couldn't help but snort, "An arms dealer running a charity; that's ironic."

Duke smirked but continued, "I'm her escort. Scarlet, you'll be on surveillance with Breaker. Rip, you and Snake will enter the upper floor of Walsh's penthouse from the outside. We're expecting Sable to show. When he does, Snake will track him."

Snake Eyes nodded firmly.

River sat up and looked at the clock. It was nearly six o'clock. The gala started at nine. "Guys we should get ready."

Rip looked at the clock and then back at her, "We got three hours."

River rolled her eyes, "Yeah, and it'll take that long just to get ready."

It was his turn to roll his eyes, "Women."

Scarlet looked at him sharply, "Excuse me?"

"Nothing!" Rip said quickly, flashing a giant smile at her.

Sure enough, nearly two and half hours later, River was scrambling to put her pump stilettos on. Scarlet was running behind her with a hair brush, "Ow!"

"Sorry!" the redhead said as she hit a tangle.

Taking the brush from the genius woman, River took her by the shoulders and said, "Scarlet, I got it. Thanks."

A knock came to the door.

River dashed back into the bathroom as Scarlet walked towards the door. Looking at her reflection, River admired the glittering silver dress that adorned her figure. She turned around and curled her lip. It swooped down, revealing her back.

She finished her hair and rushed back into the main room where Duke stood in a civilian suit. Duke looked at the woman who nearly fell out of the bathroom and was surprised.

River cleaned up nice. Very nice.

Clearing his throat, Duke said, "We better go."

She nodded.

Following behind him, River was led to a limo. "Wow, what's with the wheels?"

Duke grinned, "Well, you are a wealthy benefactor after all. We can't have you arriving in anything else…gotta arrive in style."

She laughed as he opened the door for her. Sliding in, she scooted across to allow him room.

They sat in silence for the most part until Duke turned to her and asked, "Nervous?"

River looked at him and shrugged, "Not really. I just want to get Sable."

Duke gave her a look of confidence, "Don't worry, we will."

He stressed "we" and gave her a pointed look.

"What?" she asked, somewhat offended.

He shook his head, "Don't act like you don't know. You act as though we don't want the same thing."

Confused, River raised an eyebrow, "How is that now?"

Sighing, Duke looked out the window before turned back to her, "You act all independent, as if you're the only one who can do this. You should trust us. We know what we're doing."

River played with the diamond bracelet that wrapped around her wrist carefully, "You don't understand Duke. There are things, that if you knew, would understand why I act the way I do."

Curious, Duke leaned closer, "What things?"

She looked up at him, "Things you're not going to hear about."

He raised his hands in defense, "Fine, fine. Sorry I said anything."

She sighed, "Sorry."

The silence refilled the limo until they arrived.

Before Duke opened the door he turned to her, "Remember, you need to distract Walsh until Snake Eyes follows Sable. I'll be right there with you."

She nodded, giving a quick smile before he opened the door and helped her out due to her heels. He stared down at them, "How can you walk in those?"

She chuckled, "Practice."

He offered his arm and she took it. As they entered the building that held Walsh's penthouse, Duke said, "I think you could stab somebody with them."

She rolled her eyes.

She knew he was trying to keep her relaxed. Little did he know she was cool as a cucumber. Maybe he was more nervous than she was.

The lobby was filled with people already. They made their way to the elevator where two security guards stood tall and stoic. Duke reached into his jacket and pulled out well forged and very fake invitations.

The guard to the right took it and looked it over. He offered a fake smile to River, "Welcome to Mr. Walsh's fundraiser Ms. Young. Enjoy your evening."

River nodded, "Thank you very much."

They entered the elevator.

Duke looked down at the small woman and was surprised to see that she was smiling, slightly swaying to the music coming from the elevator speakers. She didn't seem nervous at all.

The doors to the lift opened and River and Duke entered the penthouse. It was filled with people dressed in expensive dresses and jewels and Armani suits.

River was quick to spot Walsh.

He was standing in the back with a rather pretty young woman who was whispering something in the older man's ear. He pulled back and grinned down at her, his arm circling her waist suggestively.

River cringed.

She pulled Duke to the side, "Okay, I'll go over and introduce myself. Go ahead and look around."

Duke leaned closer, giving her a hard look, "I'm not leaving you alone with him, River."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm fine Duke."

He didn't lose the look, which caused her to roll her eyes and sigh heavily, "Duke, you just told me to trust you. Why don't you do the same with me?"

Duke blinked.

She had a point.

But he didn't want to leave her alone in case something happened.

He was a Joe but that didn't mean mistakes couldn't happen.

Duke looked over at Walsh and noticed the young woman walk away, leaving Walsh alone. He walked outside to the balcony, where he stood with a glass of champagne that was nearly empty.

As a server passed by, Duke grabbed two flutes and handed them to her, "Fine, I trust you."

Taking them, she grinned, "Thanks. I'll try and keep him occupied for as long as I can."

He nodded, giving her one last look before disappearing into the crowd.

River turned and made her way towards the balcony where Walsh stood alone.

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><p>THANKS FOR READING. PLEASE REVIEW!<p>

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